Laney College Spring ‘23 Self-Care Fair

On April 11th, the Wellness Team for Mental Health Services sponsored the Spring ‘23 Self-Care Fair for Laney College, which focused on providing a space for students to take a break from stress. April is Stress-Awareness month, which made for the perfect time to give students the opportunity to partake in several different stress-decompression activities. The fair was open to all Laney students, with a handful of students from the other Peralta campuses attending as well. 

Sign-in was crucial to the event and ensured attendees maximized the day. Students registering did a quick check-in with the Laney MH team which required them to write or say what they were grateful for and get educated on how beneficial doing so is to one’s health. To take in the whole fair, attendees were given a passport that would be stamped with each visit to community partners, the ASLC, student clubs, Wellness Table, and other groups. Also upon arrival, they self-assessed where they were mentally at and where they would like to go. The handmade stamps from each organization were praised, and a fully stamped passport meant they earned a meal ticket for two tacos, hibiscus tea, and mini desserts.

So many outside organizations participated in the event. The Freedom Clinic provided acupuncture, massages, and Reiki (energy healing), with many students mentioning how rejuvenating these modalities were and asking for them to come back. Representatives from Biodanza also tabled at the Self-Care Fair, with their name coming from a methodology for personal growth. Although Biodanza didn’t have the opportunity to conduct a dance session, they managed to get a group of people signed up for upcoming sessions at their various locations around the Bay Area. HHREC (Health and Human Resource Education Center) also joined the event, along with WISER (which provides community-based learning training for mental health). 10 x 10 joined to share their services, which encompass the 8 dimensions of wellness to live holistically especially through movement and healthy drinks). Other presenters and tablers included the Black Women’s Media Project (promotes mental health wellness and recovery through retreats, community events, and educational methods). The Unity Counsel, CalFresh, and The ROOTS Clinic were on hand too, giving students more insight into the Health and Mental Health services provided. ASLC was also a participant, and even Laney’s very own Cosmetology Department got involved, setting up a “hand massage bar” for attendees to experience throughout the event, and there was a “Taco and Dessert” bar set up for students to enjoy.

As a result of the event, Laney’s Mental Health and Wellness team gained a 30% increase in social media subscribers, where we promote positive daily wellness tips, activities, and affirmations for our students. Overall, the Self-Care Fair turnout exceeded expectations, and the College is grateful to all who took part, and more events such as these will follow.

Laney College Community Partnership Breakfast & Connect

On Friday, April 14, 2023, Laney College hosted a Community Partnership Breakfast & Connect.  This event was designed to give OUSD and charter school partners an opportunity to learn about Laney College, our programs, and all the resources we have available to support student success.  Thank you to all who attended, including Laney Student Services and Instruction Colleagues.

Laney Media Virtual Production Graduates

A partnership between Laney Media Studies faculty member and virtual production specialist Koina Freeman and Magicbox (https://www.magicbox.ninja/ ) has led to opportunities for students in the discipline.

The fruitful discussions began in February 2022 when Professor Freeman met with their CEO to discuss “upskilling” those already pursuing Bay Area film/television and broadcasting career to leverage training in Virtual Production. That ongoing partnership led to him Magic Box hiring Laney’s first Virtual Production certificate graduates in December 2022.

More recently, the National Association of Broadcasters, held the biggest Film/TV conference in the world in Las Vegas. Three Laney Virtual Production Certificate graduates worked at the event as virtual trainees, focusing on the technology used to make ILM’s Mandalorian, parts of Games of Thrones, Marvel's Avengers films, and even the Weather Channel’s immersive broadcasts. This is yet one more example of Laney CTE graduates achieving sustainable employment at wage/benefit levels that allow them to truly be part of a thriving industry.

Kya Pearson Signed a Scholarship Agreement with the Seawolves

The University of Alaska, Anchorage women's basketball program has started its 2023 recruiting class with one of the top junior-college prospects in California, as head coach Ryan McCarthy announced Wednesday that Kya Pearson has signed a scholarship agreement with the Seawolves, an event gaining media coverage https://goseawolves.com/news/2023/4/19/womens-basketball-seawolves-start-class-with-california-jc-star-pearson.aspx

Pearson has been a star of the lady cagers team, finishing the season as the leading scorer in the Eagles final playoff game at Santa Rosa

HBCU Acceptance, Scholarships Await Laney Black Student Union Vice President

Yemisi C. Obalade Jr. tells a personal story of success and accomplishment:

“I wear many hats here on Laney’s campus. For Instance, I am vice president of Laney’s Black Student Union, one of the Senators for the ASLC (Associated Students of Laney College), and an intern at Laney’s Athletics as a student trainer. I am also a part of Umoja-Ubaka, a learning community, where I've got many opportunities, one of them being a participant of the Huston-Tillotson University recruiting visit to Laney.

The presentation from their admissions teams was so great that I ended up applying right after it was over. On that same day, I was accepted into Huston-Tillotson University to further my education in Kinesiology with a $4,000 scholarship.

Director of Recruitment and Admission, Asia Haney, also told me to apply to two additional scholarships that could change my life forever, with one being The W.E.B. Du Bois Honors Program which pays for my tuition all four years being a part of the accelerated program HT has to offer, so the only thing I will have to pay for is housing and my meal plan. And the other one being the African American Male Teacher Initiative scholarship, which would give me a full ride (everything paid for) if I minor or major in education. With that being said as of April 8, 2023, I have received the W.E.B. Du Bois Honors Program scholarship and was notified of being a semifinalist for the African American Male Teacher Initiative scholarship, which will have a result after April 21st. I am extremely excited, humbled, and honored to have received acceptance and scholarship from this institution thanks to Laney College.”

As with all of our graduates and transferees, Laney is proud of Kya and Yemisi!

This article is taken from the President’s Report, written by Dr. Rudy Besikof, Laney College President, that was presented to the PCCD Board of Trustees during their regular meeting on Tuesday, April 25, 2023. To view it as a pdf, click here.